The Republican, Issue One

An interesting article about the Peterloo Massacre and one of the important people Richard Carlile, fighting for democracy in the UK. Something that is still, sadly lacking, due to the ‘first-past-the-post’ system.  Unfortunately, far too many middle-class, so-called socialist, think Marxism is the only socialist movement the UK had. Marx plagiarised the work of early British, French and German socialists, to produce a work of contradictions.

cobrunstrom's avatarconradbrunstrom

republican1

The Republican Issue One

The Republican was first published on this day, August 27th, 1819.  Its creator was Richard Carlile, who was one of the intended speakers  at the St Peter’s Fields reform meeting before the yeomanry transformed the occasion into the Peterloo Massacre.  Shocked by the spectacle of unarmed men women and children being cut to pieces just because they wanted to hear a bit more about democracy, Carlile wrote an account of the event for Sherwin’s Weekly Political Register which led to his instant prosecution.

The Prince Regent also put pen to paper.  He took the initiative of writing personally to congratulate the troops on how promptly and efficiently they had put the plebs to the sword.

(You see, soldiers who slaughter civilians aren’t committing a crime.  People who point that soldiers slaughter civilians are the real criminals.)

Carlile changed the name of his paper to

View original post 197 more words

Peterloo Massacre 195th Anniversary

August 16th was the 195th Anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre, and a commemoration of the event was held on the 17th August 2014, on Windmill Street on the edge of the original site.  A number of different groups had walked in from other parts of Lancashire to represent the original marches to join the Peterloo Rally. 

The Middleton contingent  walking up Southmill Street towards Windmill Street, passing, what was the Free Trade Hall.
The Middleton contingent walking up Southmill Street towards Windmill Street, passing, what was the Free Trade Hall.
A couple of the replica banners from the Peterloo Rally August 16th 1819
A couple of the replica banners from the Peterloo Rally August 16th 1819

Maxine Peake had appeared the year before at the Manchester International Festival, doing a reading of Shelley’s Masque of AnarchyDSC_0008. 

The Maxine Peake started the proceedings.
The Maxine Peake started the proceedings.
The Deputy Lord Mayor of Manchester started the reading of those innocents killed on that inglorious day.
The Deputy Lord Mayor of Manchester started the reading of those innocents killed on that inglorious day.

A number of Ancoats Dispensary Trust and supporters, were at the event. 

A number of Ancoats Dispensary Trust and supporters were at the event.
A number of Ancoats Dispensary Trust and supporters were at the event. 

DSC_0013 DSC_0015 DSC_0018 DSC_0021 DSC_0023

 

Biggest London march in support of Gaza, Palestine.

Jews against Zionism.
Jews against Zionism.

DSC_0316 DSC_0315 DSC_0313

America's 9/11, Palestine's 24/7.
America’s 9/11, Palestine’s 24/7.
Entering Grosvenor Square, home of the US Embassy.
Entering Grosvenor Square, home of the US Embassy.
Everton Fans against apartheid.
Everton Fans against apartheid.
Arsenal Fans against apartheid.
Arsenal Fans against apartheid.

DSC_0297 DSC_0302 DSC_0282 DSC_0279

At the start of the march in Portland Place.
At the start of the march in Portland Place.

A response to ‘7 Things to Consider Before Choosing Sides in the Middle East Conflict’

Israeli lies given too much credence by our politicians and media.

radicaluniversity's avatarRadical University

10592057_10152197396022623_1978061907_n

A response to Ali A. Rizvi’s ‘7 Things to Consider Before Choosing Sides in the Middle East Conflict’ published in The Huffington Post

Nikhil Datta & James Duckworth

Some of you may have seen Ali A. Rivzi’s Huff Post article trending recently, which ultimately calls for some balance to be taken when observing the Israel-Palestine conflict. It is a well-constructed piece that to a large number may seem convincing. Nevertheless, it is riddled with fallacious arguments, cherry picked facts, apologism for military aggression, and comes with a pre-supposition that Hamas are no more than an Al-Qaeda equivalent who seeks nothing but nihilistic destruction. As a result we felt it necessary to give a point by point response.

Prior to that however, we just want to make clear what is meant by ‘Anti-Israel,’ in this instance it simply means being opposed to their foreign policy (what they perceive to be as…

View original post 1,721 more words

Bedroom tax appeal win on room size: Note the judges reasons well!!

The DWP and Local Council’s have found to be failing to carry out their duties. When will this Government see sense and scrap this pernicious piece of legislation and recompense, those who have suffered financial loses due to poorly thoughtout legislation

A Guide To DWP Euphemisms

A guide to the Government’s ‘newspeak‘, as in George Orwell‘s novel 1984, they are trying to manipulate thought, through their use of English.  By such means, they pit the poor against each, instead of the poor blaming the real culprits.  As observed by Robert Tresell in his novel The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, where those in work despised those out of work, even though, they themselves might find themselves out of work tomorrow.

A Guide To DWP Euphemisms.

Landlords use the bedroom tax to hide their own incompetence

An update on the heinous bedroom tax and how the UK tax-payer is bailing out the private rental sector and losing out. The bedroom tax does not treat social tenants the same as private tenants.

Tories slash #climate adaptation spending. “Vote blue go extinct…”

The Conservatives also asked the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC); http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_Development_Commission, at which Tim Jackson and colleagues produced a report, ‘Prosperity without Growth’. No political party in the UK, took this report seriously, and all constantly pursue economic growth. Which is of course, the cause of inequality and climate change. Truthout have just posted an article on ‘Beyond Growth or Beyond Capitalism?’, which is repeating the SDC’s findings; http://truth-out.org/news/item/21215-beyond-growth-or-beyond-capitalism. Will any political party embrace these policies and engage the voters with them? The UK Green Party were told at it’s 2010 Spring Conference, to be bold and to push forward on this agenda. They failed to do so, and the capitalist and growth at any cost agenda, prevails.

manchesterclimatemonthly's avatarmanchester climate monthly

polarbearadaptationfundingcut

Damian Carrington, writing in the Guardian.

What’s interesting is that the next sentence goes –

It had risen by almost 20% under Paterson’s predecessor, Caroline Spelman, but fell 41% after Paterson replaced her in September 2012.

So, there are Tories who want to conserve (the clue is no longer in the name) a habitable planet. But Dave, presumably in an effort to keep his make-Attila-the-Hun-look-like-Mahatma-Gandhi friends to the right happy, is willing to throw them overboard.

When they are older, and they understand what he has done, his children will – along with everyone else’s – curse the day he was born.
But of course, it’s easy to denounce the pantomime villain (oh yes it is). The bigger question is – where are the social movements? Where are the people who are learning and teaching how to channel the anger, disbelief and despair felt by so many into effective…

View original post 50 more words